Rowenna
by XxShukketsuYume
Summary: There's a summary inside.
1. Goodbye Mommy

**Hey hey all!**

Okay, just a quick AN before you read this story. This is actually a background fanfic for my original character (used in _The YGO Musical _and in _Enigma_), Rowenna Wheeler. She's Joey's big sister, and if you follow Kitsune777 and I's timeline, she's two years older than Joey and his group of friends, and shows up right before Duelist Kingdom, shortly after Joey and Yugi become friends, and Yugi completes the Millenium Puzzle.

Also, _italics_** equals a memory. **_Italics underlined_** equals song lyrics from Rowenna's poem book. Okeydokey?**

**And, because for legal purposes, I suppose a disclaimer is needed, ne?**

I don't own YGO, or any of the characters referenced in here that are original YGO characters. Forgive me for warping them so. I do own all of the lyrics in here that Rowenna writes, they're original. It's okay if you think they're crap, I don't mind, you can tell me. I also own Rowenna, as she came out of my head.

Well, enough of my rambling. On with the fic!

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Sleep was escaping her. Of course, after three hours of fighting with your two parents, through the phone, sleep would escape you, too. And tonight had been one hell of a fight.

Rowenna Wheeler had recently come back to Japan for the first time in a year or so. And today, she'd gone to the D.S.S. office in Domino City, and asked for papers to fill out so that she could take custody of her little brother.

Joey, Serenity, and Rowenna's parents were stories unto themselves. Mrs. Wheeler (even after the divorce, she'd never changed her name back, claimed she couldn't afford it.) was a in the closet drunk, who was sober during the week because she had to work. But on the weekends, when she was free, she got trashed, and had her twin sister, Marie, come over frequently. The woman was a walking mental breakdown waiting to happen.

Mr. Wheeler, on the other hand, was not a closeted alcoholic. Instead of using the child support he was given to take care of Joey, he used it to buy himself booze. The apartment the two lived in was in the slums of Domino City, and the inside was just as horrible looking as the outside. When Rowenna had tried to crash there for the night when she'd come back in July, she was met with a beer bottle being thrown at her head, and a stumbling drunkard, who passed out before he could manage to hit her. Even though D.S.S. had been called on James Wheeler before, he still beat his son on a daily basis, and the poor teen had evidence of that. Rowenna was sure that with that evidence to back her up, she would get legal custody of the fifteen year old.

Unfortunately, she couldn't find any evidence to stack against her mother, so she couldn't legally get Serenity out of there.

Joey had been illegally living at a friend's house, but Rowenna was uncomfortable with that. If she was back in Domino City, to stay, she wanted Joey to at least live with family. He was a good kid, and he deserved better than what he had. She was planned to make it up to him.

The fight had been stressful. The papers were all filled out, but the only problem was, now D.S.S. had to go interview her father. And that had not made Mr. James Wheeler happy at all. Not one bit.

Rowenna was still a little fuzzy as to exactly what her Mother had to do with all this, as she had completely abandoned Joey and Rowenna at their father's apartment when she left the bastard all those years ago. And why had Maureen left him? Because he was a drunk who beat her regularly. So she left her children with him?

She shook her head, blinking repeatedly, staring at the clock. 3:30. Contemplating sleep, she walked towards her room, but stopped at her bookshelf. A little note-book was sticking out of one of the shelves. Not entirely recognizing it, she picked it up, and flipped open to the first page. Recognizing her own lazy scrawl, she realized that it was a song book, and sat down in her armchair, turning on the light behind her and reading through her old songs.

_Tell me when it's over  
'Cause I can't stand to watch this anymore  
My life is being ripped to shreds  
And no one seems to give a damn_

_My brother is hiding in the corner again  
While sissy cries at Mommy's knees  
She's screaming at the top of her lungs  
About Daddy's problems  
And the whiskey on his breath  
But Mommy's got a slur in her step  
And I'm not sure Mommy should talk_

_Tell me when it's over  
'Cause I can't stand to watch this anymore  
My life is being ripped to shreds  
And no one seems to give a damn_

_I'm walking forward to help him again  
While sissy gets in the car with Mommy  
Daddy's screaming at the retreating car  
And he spills his precious elixir on my arm  
Brother's crying in the corner again  
And Daddy's calls him names while he hits me  
Once for Brother, once for me._

Tell me when it's over  
'Cause I can't stand to watch this anymore  
My life is being ripped to shreds  
And no one but me gives a damn

_"I'm sick of this, James! I'm sick of it!"_

_"You can't leave me woman! I'm too important for ya! I'm everythin' ya got!"_

_"I have more than you'll ever be able to give me! I'm taking the kids, and I'm leaving!"_

_"No ya ain't!"_

_James Wheeler rushed at his wife. But she'd had this planned for almost two months now, and she hadn't let a single detail go. No, her abusive husband was not keeping her and the children anymore. She had Serenity in her arms, and she ducked out the door. She called to Rowenna._

_"Rowenna! Get Joey! We need to get out of here!" She yelled, desperately._

_Rowenna came out of her room, and looked at the scene in front of her. Her father, drunkenly trying to open the screen door, her mother and her little sister, standing outside the door, next to the car, motioning quickly for her to come. She turned behind her and saw Joey, eyes wide, tears showing in his quivering brown eyes._

_"Serenity? Rowenna…what's goin on?" He asked, wiping the sleep away from his eyes._

_"Mommy's leaving! Joey, we gotta go!"_

_The two children saw one major problem in this plan. And boy, was he a big, drunken problem._

_"I ain't lettin' ya take tha kids! That child support'll do me good!" He shouted, smashing the bottle of whiskey on the wall and turning around to face them. "Ya ain't goin' nowhere. And if ya try, I'll cut ya."_

_Joey looked at her, terrified. "What are we gonna do?" He hissed._

_"Just follow my lead." She whispered back. "Run for the door, Joey. Run." He looked at her, scared, but nodded. And he ran as fast as he could._

_At the same time, Rowenna dived forward, grabbing her father's knees, hitting them with all of her weight. His knees buckled, and whiskey spilled all over her arms. He tried to pick her up, but she moved quickly out of his way, dashing for the screen door and slamming it behind her._

_Unfortunately, all she saw was a scared, confused four year old, lying on the pavement, with tears in his eyes, and the tail lights of a retreating vehicle._

_"She left us alone wit him Ro!" He sobbed. "She left us alone! She took Serenity and now they're both gone!"_

_The seven year old grabbed her little brother, laying his head in her lap, shushing him and telling him it was all going to be okay. She glared at the retreating head lights that were no longer there, cursing them in her head._

_"Okay Joey. I'm gonna go in and take care of Daddy. Go sit by our window. When it's safe, I'll help you up, okay?"_

_"O..okay." He said, sniffling. She smiled at him, and handed him all the money she had in her pocket; 5 dollars._

_"If you need to, go call someone at the pay phone, okay?"_

_"Mmhmm. Are you gonna be okay?" He asked her, getting up and turning to walk towards their backyard. She nodded at him, cleared her throat, and ushered him along. She watched as he moved behind the house, and then walked towards the screen door._

_"Daddy? Mommy's gone."_

_"Get in here ya little skank! I'm gonna make ya pay for what ya mother did."_

She looked at the tear soaked paper in front of her, sobbing lightly. "Memories always come back to haunt ya." She said, sighing. She looked at the date. "1991...Goddess, I was 7 when I wrote this. This book must be…" She stopped and laughed at herself. "Well, I sure as hell was a smart 7 year old. That song ain't that bad."

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**So...um...review, if you'd like more? **

**Your faithful fanfiction slave monkey,**

**Pengwinn**


	2. Black and Blue Scars

She flipped the pages, scanning them briefly as she turned them. For a good deal of the time, they were about her parents divorce, feeling of abandonment, her father's drinking, the abuse. Tears flooding her eyes as she turned each page, she sighed heavily, shaking slightly, and looked down at the one in front of her, not sure whether or not she actually wanted to read it. The date was marked December 17th, 1995. Doing mental math in her head, and recalling what time of year it was, she realized that this was the day she left her father's home; for good. 

"Let's see how good a ten year old can write, shall we?" Rowenna asked herself, wiping away the last tear she had shed and taking a deep breath.

_Black and Blue Scars_

_Daddy, are you mad at me?  
Because I know you're wrong?  
Daddy, are you mad at me?  
Because I've know all along?  
Daddy, are you angry?  
Because I choose to fight?  
Daddy, are you angry?  
Because you know I'm right?_

_I have scars  
And they're all black and blue  
I have scars  
And Daddy, they're from you_

_Daddy, are you mad at me?  
Because I protect him?  
Daddy, are you mad at me?  
Because I don't let you hurt him?  
Daddy, are you angry?  
Because I'm not decieving?  
Daddy, are you angry?  
Because I'm really leaving?_

_He has scars  
And they're all black and blue  
He has scars  
And Daddy, I'm protecting him from you_

_I'm leaving, Daddy  
I'm leaving here tonight  
I'm taking him with me, Daddy  
Because I know it's right._

_"You're a whore, you know that?"_

_"Dad, I'm ten." She muttered, ducking a hit from his left, barely missing the hit from his right. She watched as her father tripped over his own left foot and landed on the smashed glass of beer bottles and whiskey bottles in front of her, cutting his hands as he shoved them out to break his fall. Instead of breaking his fall, however, they made it worsen, and he fell onto his face, cutting a deep gash in his left cheek. Blood poured out of the wound, and he stood up, glaring at her, convinced it was the ten year old's fault._

_"You're a whore! Look what you did to me!"_

_"Daddy, I'm ten. I can't even have any sex yet. And I didn't do that. You fell."_

_"Like hell I did! I would have remembered!"_

_"Dad, you're drunk." She grumbled angrily, pushing a long piece of blonde hair out of her face. She pulled the whole lot of it back into a tight pony-tail, and then wound it up into a bun. If there was going to be a fight tonight, she would not give him that advantage._

_She looked at the door across from her, as it opened and flooded the dimly lit room with more light. She winced. 'Joey, go back to bed.' She pleaded, telepathically. The eight year old looked from his father to his sister, to his father again. A curious look of anger, disappointment, and sadness filled his eyes as he rested them on her own. He mouthed at her 'What are you doing?'_

_She mouthed back, slowly, so he could understand every word, and her wavering father could not. 'I'm being good, Joey. I didn't fight back yet.'_

_'Don't fight.' He worthed breathlessly, looking at her anxiously._

_'Go back to bed.' She mouthed, looking at her father frantically, as he was about to turn around and notice her younger brother. 'Go to bed! Go to bed!'_

_He nodded at her, looking confused, but shut the door just as their father turned around to face the doorway of his younger son's bedroom. The pitter patter of little feet was not heard, and a nearly convincing snore was in it's place. Rowenna sighed, smiling. She'd taught him well. 'Thank you, Pup.' She thought, thanking whatever deity existed. She thought, momentarily, how depressing it was that she was ten, and had lost her faith alread, but realized, cynically, that having an abusive alcoholic for a father was one hell of a way to kill a child's faith. Turning her attention back to the matter at hand, she looked at the man before her with a look of utter contempt._

_"So ya think ya can tell me what ta do, eh? Just like your scumbag whoe of a muther. Left me wit two kids n no one ter raise 'em but me. What a douche. What a see you next tuesday, why that bi-"_

_"Dad, stop it." Rowenna snapped. "I know Mom left us. I know you're angry. But you gotta stop doing that. I want to remember Mom when she loved me. And I want Joey to do the same."_

_He laughed at her. "She ain't never luved ya, honey. Neither of ya. She's hated ya since the day ya was born. Ya and Joey...she hated ya. Ya were monsters, always pickin' on Serenity, and she's got that eye problem now, and...well, ya don't mean squat ta her. We made custody arrangements years ago, you naiive little brat, and she said flat out she didn't want ya. An' neither do I. But I'm landed with ya, and it gives me money.."_

_She stared at him, horror-struck. 'It's just drunken ramblings. He's full of it.' She hissed at herself. But she couldn't help the swell of pain in her chest, the tears filling her eyes, her throat suddenly becoming immobilized. Unable to say anything, she unfortunately let him continue._

_"Ya was a little witch since ya came outta that whore ten years ago. Ya was born almost an hour ago, ya know." He said, smirking. "Thought I'd forgotten it was yur birfday, eh? Yeah, ya lil maggot, I rememberd. Ya aint caused me nothin but pain an' grief since ya showed up in my life. You're the only reason she stayed wit me, ya know that? She was gonna leave, but then I got 'er pregnant, and suddenly we 'ad to stay together for da baby. 'N then she left me, seven years later, anyway, with two kids she didn't want, an' no money to pay the bills." He took a swig of his fire-whiskey. "Y'know what they called me in my ol' gang? Fire-whiskey Wheeler. It's 'cause fire-whiskey burns while it goes down y'ur throat, lingerin'. Just like me. Can't get what I'm sayin' outta yer pretty little head, can ya? It's stayin'. Just like the firewhiskey."_

_Unaware how much he really was hurting his daughter, James Wheeler hucked the half-emptied bottle at her head, laughing at the blood and whiskey mixed together, trickling down her fore-head in a painful combination. She winced, trying to wipe away the blood. Her throat was closing up on her, and the world was spinning. 'Mommy didn't want you.' She could hear a voice saying, over and over, in the back of her head. Everything was closing in on her. The tears in her eyes started to leak out, and she tried to say something, but couldn't manage a single word. The whiskey and the blood were stinging so much that she started sobbing, and fell to the glass covered ground. Her father just laughed._

_"That's right. Fall on yer knees like yer whore of a mother always did. Runs in dat side o' the family, it does."_

_"Dad! Stop it!"_

_She looked up, tears and blood blinding her vision. But she could still make out the image of her little brother, standing in his doorway, glaring at his father, holding up his fists._

_"Whatdyousay?" The slur was hard to comprehend, but the eight year old had understood it._

_"Leave. Her. Alone." Joey growled. "She ain't done nothin' to ya!"_

_"Make me." James chuckled, nearly doubling over laughing when the little boy ran at him, and he caught his head in his hand. Joey took this to his advantage, however, and bit his father on the arm, so much so that he bled quite a bit. Rowenna, still unable to move or speak, tried to motion to Joey the lamp beside him. 'Knock him out!' She thought, desperately._

_Her eyes seemed to tell him enough, and Joey leaned forward, grabbed the lamp, and smashed it over his father's head. Their father went flying backwards, eyes lolling up into his head, passing out. Joey ran over to Rowenna, leaning down to her on his knees, rubbing her back._

_"Ro, are you okay? Ro?"_

_"I...I..." She gasped, trying to even out her breathing. Joey tugged at her, half-dragging her outside._

_"Breathe. Breathe Ro. Dad's an ass. It's okay. Breathe. C'mon. Breathe..."_

_She took a deep breath. Then another. Then, another. Sobbing, slowly, and breathing, slowly, she came back to normal body functions, for the most part, and turned to face him. "I can't stay here." She whispered. "I can't do it. I can't stay with him."_

_"Where are you gonna go?"_

_"You're not staying either. You're coming with me. And we're going to Mom's."_

_"Mom's?"_

_"Mom's."_

_"She won't take us."_

_"Yes she will."_

_"She'll only take you. Ro...I can't leave him." Joey whispered, looking back at the house. "He's a lunatic..but I can't leave him. I love him, Ro. I know you don't, but..."_

_"I love him, and I love you, but I can't. I can't. I can't do it." She cried, sitting down and rocking back and forth. "Come with me, we'll leave tonight, and he'll never know, and we'll go with Mom, and we won't have to hide any cuts anymore and..."_

_"No, Ro. I can't live with Mom. She doesn't love me."_

_Her throat tightened again. 'The two kids she didn't want.' She looked at her little brother, and sighed. "Mom loves you-"_

_"Naw, it's aiight. I dealt with that on my own. Go. Get outta here. Call me when you're stayin' somewhere safe."_

_She went inside, packed a bag, found her mother's address, and hugged him. "I'll call you." She whispered, kissing him on the head. "I love you. Don't let him hurt you. Do what I taught you."_

_"I will."_

_"And call me if you need to cover anything up, you're still not good at that."_

_"I will."_

_"I'll bring by some food later, to restock the fridge-"_

_"Just go!" He smirked, laughing. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. Just go."_

_She looked at him, sighing. "Goodbye. I love you."_

_"I love you too."_

_As she walked out of the house, it occurred to her how mature an eight year old could really, truly be._

**( Uh...yeah. Nother chappie. Still want anymore?...Review. **

**YFFSM, **

Pen )


	3. I Love You Too Mommy

Rowenna's hand shakily hovered over the phone, tempted to pick it up, wanting to dial the number of the cellphone she'd given Joey. She'd given him the cellphone so that if anything happened over the possible fortnight it would take her to get him out of that house, she could go get him within minutes. The possibility of it working in reverse had never occurred to her, but now, as she sat on her arm-chair, the song book having fallen to the floor, shaking, she wanted someone...she wanted him...to be with her. 

"No." She said aloud, suddenly. "No. Don't call him. Dad'll be furious. He was already drunk enough when you called him, and angry enough when you finished talking to him. No. Don't get yourself in deeper...don't get Joey in more trouble than he already is." Her sense of reason beating her, she pulled her hand back. "Wait...what if he's beating on Joey, right now? What if he needs my help..." She reached her hand out towards the receiver again, but stopped. "No. No. He would've called if he was in trouble that he couldn't handle. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself. He'd call you. And it would probably draw attention to him if you called him at this hour, anyway." Admitting defeat, she moved forward and picked up the poem book instead.

Memories of her father were nothing compared to the memories of living with her mother. And if reading these wonderful poems were making her sob uncontrollably about her father, then what would she do when she found a song inspired by her mother? Unsure of whether or not she actually wanted to continue, she painfully flipped the pages, until she found one that looked like it was more than just meaningless scribbles. This one even had guitar chords written next to it. Slightly afraid, she looked at the title of the song, and read the lyrics written below it.

_I Love You Too, Mommy_

_You don't love me, just like he said  
And you don't have the balls to tell me  
Until you've had a few drinks in you  
But he'll tell me the truth  
Whether he's sober or not  
You're no better than him_

_Hold your head high  
And pretend to be a goddess  
But the weekend dawns a new  
And you're horrible too_

_Hit me, scold me  
Tell me I'm dirt  
Hate me, kill me  
I love you too, Mommy_

_Welcome back to Mommy's loving arms  
The ones that throttle me  
When she's drunk enough not to care  
Watch Mommy as she swoons over her  
She loves her more than me  
But that isn't her fault, it's Mommy's_

_Hold your head high  
And pretend to be a goddess  
But the weekend dawns a new  
And you're horrible too_

_Hit me, scold me  
Tell me I'm dirt  
Hate me, kill me,  
I love you too, Mommy_

_"I'm sure that you are aware, Ms. Wheeler, you are not allowed to say things like that in school. Is that correct?"_

_"Yes."_

_"And I'm also sure that you're aware, Ms. Wheeler, that you are not allowed to do such things to other students in school. Is that correct?"_

_"Yes."_

_"I'm glad we have that covered." The principal placed her fingers in a steeple, resting her chin on the two index fingers. "Explain your actions."_

_"Explain my actions?"_

_"Yes, Ms. Wheeler. Explain your actions."_

_The twelve year old found it increasingly hard to explain to the woman sitting before her why she acted the way she did. It was not because she didn't like her classmates. It was because they didn't like her. Not sure whether or not the old, 'They were picking on me', line would work, even if in this case, it happened to be true, she ventured around in her head for something else that would explain her actions that did not get her into more trouble than she already was._

_"Uhm..." Was the best articulation that she could muster. Immediately, her eyes flew to the carpet, and she realized what a lovely design was on the deep blue fabric. Something like flowers, green vines, and the ocean, all mixed into one._

_"Rowenna?"_

_The principal's voice made her eyes stop examining the intricate needle work, and she looked up, sighing. "Well...Emiko and Haru were making fun of me, ma'am." Not sure whether or not she was expected to continue, she paused. When Principal Hoshi said nothing, she continued. "They say that my accent is funny, and they don't like my hair color. They think because my parents were foreigners that I'm...not...well...that I don't belong." She stuttered. "Haru was calling me names, and he told me to go back to my own damned country." Principal Hoshi's eyebrows raised. "Sorry." She muttered. The principal nodded, and waved her hand, urging her to continue. "He started throwing things at me...rocks off the ground, paper clips...safety pins."_

_At this, the principal looked extremely caught off guard. Rowenna help up her arm, showing marks where the safety pins had landed. The older woman nodded. "I see. Continue."_

_"I told him to leave me alone...with a few extra words in there.." She admitted, looking somewhat ashamed. "And then Emiko came over. She's been dating Haru for almost a month now, and she got really upset when I started calling him some pretty nasty names."_

_"What did you call-" The principal stopped, shaking her head. "Never mind. I don't want to know. You retaliated by bashing him verbally, it seems?"_

_"Yes ma'am. I said some things I shouldn't have."_

_"It's all right. Continue."_

_"Right. Well, after that, Emiko started yelling at me too, and she told me that I had better not do anything to hurt her or her friends, or she'd have her brother and his gang come after me." She paused, not sure whether or not she should say the next part. Deciding it was better to be honest, she continued. "I told them that they'd better go find a room, because I didn't want to see them kiss in front of me, it'd make me throw up. And then I told Haru to make sure he used protection, because he could catch an std from Emiko, since she's such a tramp."_

_"I suppose this did not make Ms. Midori very happy?"_

_"No, it didn't. She picked up her soda from lunch and dumped it on me." Rowenna looked down at her clothes, which were currently still covered in Coke._

_"And what did you do?"_

_"I punched her in the face."_

_"Are you aware that Ms. Midori is now in the nurse's office, with a broken nose?"_

_"Yes, ma'am."_

_"Do you feel badly about punching Ms. Midori?"_

_"Honestly?"_

_"Yes, honestly."_

_"Well, no, ma'am. She deserved it. She's a bit of a bitch." She flushed. "Sorry, ma'am."_

_"It's understandable, Rowenna. However, you are suspended for the rest of the week, and we'll have to notify your mother."_

_Eyes wide, Rowenna blinked repeatedly. "But ma'am, it's only just Tuesday...the rest of the week?"_

_"Hai."_

_"And...and my Mom?"_

_"Hai."_

_Rowenna hung her head in defeat. Her mother was not going to like this._

_"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU! YOU'RE JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO THAT PRETTY LITTLE GIRL!"_

_"Mom, she was making fun of me. She poured coke over my head!" Rowenna shouted back as she slammed the car door. Her mother had been ranting like this the whole way home._

_How Mrs. Wheeler had gotten the impression that Emiko was a pretty little girl, Rowenna didn't know, because when they went to go visit her in the nurse's office, she was covered in bandages, and looked pretty deformed. She had been throwing Rowenna glares that were similar to piercing daggers, and hissed as they walked out the door that her mother was a filthy foreigner. Rowenna had nearly turned around and kicked her so hard in the shin that she broke her leg, but her mother pulled her back just in time, throwing her into the car angrily._

_Now, they were home, and Mrs. Wheeler was still rampaging._

_Serenity came out of her room, hearing her mothers shouts of anger, and looked confusedly from her older sister to her mother. "What's going-"_

_"You're horrible sister beat up some poor girl at school today-"_

_"Poor girl? Mom! She threw safety pins at me! Look at my arms! She dumped COKE on my HEAD! She would've punched me first if I hadn't caught her off guard! These kids beat me up all the time!"_

_"Ha! Like anyone would pick on you! Not after what you've done to that poor girl!"_

_"Mom! They'll probably pick on me more!"_

_"She's suspended for the WHOLE WEEK because she can't CONTROL HER TEMPER!"_

_"Mom! It's not my fault!" She shouted, her voice growing hoarse, anger rising in her throat. "I DIDN'T DESERVE WHAT SHE DID TO ME! I JUST GOT HER BACK FOR WHAT SHE DID TO ME!"_

_"YOU BROKE HER NOSE!"_

_"SHE CUT MY ARMS!"_

_"YOU BROKE HER NOSE!"_

_"SHE CUT MY FUCKING ARMS AND THEN SPILLED COKE ON ME! SHE'S LUCKY I ONLY HAD TIME TO BREAK HER NOSE AND NOTHING ELSE!"_

_"YOU'RE GROUNDED! ROOM! NOW!"_

_"FINE!" Rowenna shouted, running into her room and slamming the door behind her so hard that it nearly snapped off the hinges. She threw herself onto her bed and glared at the ceiling as though this was somehow all the ceilings fault. "Grounded...suspended...rest of fucking week..." She growled, rolling off the bed and looking around for clothes to change into. "I really want to take a shower." She opened her door, glaring angrily into the living room. Her mother turned around to face her, one hand on her hip, a glass of wine in the other._

_"What? Here to beat me up, too, just like you're father?"_

_Rowenna stared at her, her anger past the breaking point. "No, I don't subject people I love that sort of thing. Unlike you, who left me and Joey with him so he could beat the crap out of us, instead of you. Nice mother you are."_

_"He never laid a hand on you!" She said, though her voice sounded unsure._

_"Oh yeah?" She held up her arm, showing a scar that ran from her elbow to her mid-fore-arm. "See that? That's when Dad took a knife and sliced at me because I didn't do the dishes." She pointed at her fore-head, where a scar the shape of a nickel was. "That's from the night I left Dad's. He threw a whiskey bottle at my head and laughed at me when I bled." She turned her neck to left. Here, again, was another scar, thin and long, going almost straight to her jugular. "Vodka bottle this time, missed his target though, that was when I took the blow for Joey. Would you like to see my back, where I've still got scars from when Dad beat me with his belt? Or do you forget what black eyes feel like already, want me to remind you? I remember-"_

_"Stop. You're lying." But her mother's voice was shaking, and tears were welling in her eyes._

_"Fuck you I'm lying. I have scars to prove it, you left me there with that abusive bastard, and I still can't get Joey out. It's your fault that I know how to fight, because you left me with him." She glared angrily at her mother, who was now crying, slowly, not able to say anything. "The only reason you took me in that night was because Serenity begged you to. Otherwise you'd have thrown me back on the streets. Dad told me you didn't want me and Joey. You don't love us. And I've given up on trying to love you. I'm taking a shower now." She snapped, walking past her mother, brushing away the held out arms, and shutting the bathroom door in her face._

(There ya go...nice...long-ish...chapter? Uhm...yeah. I think I only have one reviewer at this point...) But I thank that reviewer for reviewing. Teehee. Thanks!

YFFSM,

Pengwinn )


	4. Ohayoo Gozaimasu, DSS

Later that night, her mother had gotten completely trashed, and she'd hit Rowenna. That was the night she'd run away from home, for the second time. She'd packed her bag, and ran away, leaving a note to Serenity, saying she was sorry, and that she loved her, and leaving her all the money she had in an envelope.

Rowenna had never gotten to take care of Serenity, or make quite as strong a bond with her as she did with Joey. The two years she'd spent in her mother's home were rocky, and she often spent most of them on the streets, because her mother threw her out so often. That, and there wasn't really much to protect Serenity from. Like her father had said, her mother loved Serenity. There was nothing wrong with her, except her eye sight, and that made her their mother's 'poor-little-baby'.

Now wasn't much different. True, their mother was still a mentally abusive drunk, but Serenity could take care of herself, and when she couldn't, she called Joey. Joey took care of her just like Rowenna had taken care of him, just like she was still taking care of him. She smiled to herself, chuckling somewhat. "Siblings just can't resist the temptation to take care of their younger siblings, can they?" She said.

She looked at the clock, sighing. 4:30. "You've spent an hour reading your stupid poetry, you dumb blonde. Go to bed. If you thought today was bad, just imagine tomorrow, without any sleep." She reminded herself. "You have to go to the D.S.S. office at seven tomorrow morning."

She shook the memories from her mind, and put the song book back on it's shelf, clicking off the light as she walked towards her bedroom. Tomorrow was going to be one hell of a day.

---Skippy Skippy---

"Hullo?" The sleepy voice on the other end of the receiver mumbled.

Rowenna laughed. "Mornin', Joe."

"Do ya know what time it is?"

"6:30."

"Did ya sleep last night?"

"Not really."

"Fight wit Mom again?"

"Yeah." She smiled, taking a sip of her coffee and pulling in front of their father's apartment complex. "I'm outside, I have donuts, and coffee. We have to go to the D.S.S. office. Get dressed and get out here as soon as possible."

"I'll be right out." He said, and the line went dead. She clicked off her cellphone and turned off the car, sipping her coffee slowly and staring out in front her.

Unfortunately, she hadn't slept much last night. She'd had multiple dreams about her parents, and none of them had been all that appealing. If this is what was going to happen every time she opened a song book, she'd never open one again.

"Mornin'."

Her thoughts were interrupted by the harsh voice of her little brother, who was standing next to her van, running a hand through his dirty blond hair and smirking sleepily at her in the morning sunlight. She chuckled and motioned for him to get into the passenger's seat. "Morning, sleepy head." As he got into the car, she handed him a coffee, and he grabbed a donut, putting on his seatbelt.

"I still don't understand why I had ta start living wit Dad again." He grumbled, looking pretty ruffled and leaning against the window.

"Well, Joe, I think that D.S.S. might have a problem if I'm trying to take you out of a home that you've already illegaly moved out of." She said, sighing. "I know you don't want to live with Dad. But it really shouldn't be much longer. They're reviewing the case today, and they said they should get back to me within in a week or two. You can spend most of the nights at Yugi's place, but when they go to inspect, you have to be there."

He nodded. "So why do I have to come wit ya?" He said, swallowing a rather large chunk of a boston creme donut.

"You need to...make a statement that you're unhappy living with Dad." She said gloomily, turning on the car and driving off towards the building they were headed to. "Tell them about his drinking...his um...abusive habits."

"Are ya sure they're gonna let ya take me?"

"Not positive...but there's a good chance. Generally, they like to have you with a relative, and since I'm old enough to take care of you.."

"You don't turn 18 until December, Ro. Are you sure?"

"I can do it. I'm in college, I live on my own. I'm way ahead of most people my age. They know that. They've already reviewed my file."

"Did they like your file?"

"Some of it, they didn't like." She muttered.

"Like what?"

"Well...when I was living with Mom...when I was in middle school...I broke a girl's nose, and some other kid's wrist...and they didn't like how much I moved around when I was younger."

"That wasn't your fault!" Joey shouted so loudly that she almost ran a red light.

"Calm down, would you?" She said, turning to face him. "Listen, they'll review the case, and they'll let me take you. There's no way they'll leave you with Dad."

"And what if they send me to Mom, like they did with you?"

She turned away from him, staring at the light, determidely. "They won't."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." She lied.

The truth of the matter was that she was completely terrified because of how she acted when she was younger, they were going to send Joey to thier mother's house. All night, she'd been weighing out the pros and cons in her mind. The good that would come of it was that he'd be away from their father, and he'd be there to take care of Serenity. But on the other hand, their mother also hated Joey, and she would treat him like dirt, and damage him mentally, instead of physically. It would just be transferring him from one abusive environment to the next. Then what would the point be in that?

"You aren't sure, are you?" He muttered, taking a particularly large gulp of his coffee as they pulled into the parking lot.

"No. I'm not." She said, parking the car and taking off her seat belt.

"So what happens if they do?"

"Then you live with me anyway."

He smiled at her, and nodded. "Let's go."

"You sure you wanna do this?"

"I'm gonna make one helluva case, and they'll never be able to send me ta Mom's."

She laughed at him and they both got out of the car, walking towards the ominous brick building in front of them.

--Skippy Skippy--

"Now, Mr. Wheeler, you need to come inside this room with me and make a statement about your father. Your sister can wait out here." The secretary said, somewhat aggravated. The woman had been very snappy towards Rowenna, as she seemed to think that a 17 year old trying to take custody away from her parents was very, very disrespectful, and frowned upon it. Assumably, the woman had also looked over Rwoenna's own case-file, and therefore the coldness in her tone was likely directed towards a large part of that.

Joey looked at her with a questioning look, but she nodded at him and took a seat in the nearest chair. Joey walked into the room with the woman, and shut she shut the door behind them, glaring at Rowenna the whole time.

Now, to wait. How long this was going to take, she wasn't sure, but she wasn't going to get up and leave while he was in there, leaving himself vulnerable to those people. She was going to wait for him to get out of there, so that she could take him out to eat or something, make him feel better, take that look out of his eyes.

"Ms. Wheeler, I'd like to have a small discussion with you."

Rowenna blinked, looking up. There was a very official looking man standing in front of her, and he was holding her case file. He smiled very nicely at her, and motioned for her to get up. Feeling rather nervous, she obliged, standing up and following him through a door, adjacent to the one Joey had just walked through.

The man shut the door behind him, sitting down behind a cluttered desk. "Please, sit."

Still feeling uncomfortable, she sat on the edge of the seat and looked at the carpet. Realizing that this was not the most adult way to present herself, she looked up at him, trying to look more composed.

"Hello, Ms. Wheeler. My name is Mr. Hidaka. I've been reviewing your case-file for the past few days now. Now, I hear that you've filed for custody of your younger brother?"

"Yes, sir." Rowenna said, relaxing slightly. Mr. Hidaka had a very nice tone in his voice, and he didn't seem like he was trying to argue against her case.

"Would it be too personal to ask you why?"

"Not at all." Rowenna replied, smiling a bit. "If you've looked at my case file, you'll notice what type of a person my father is."

"Yes, Mr. Wheeler seems to be a bit of a recurring problem, doesn't he?"

"Yes. My brother, Joey, has been living with him for the past fifteen years, and I'd rather not have him in that environment anymore. It's not a safe one for him to be in."

"Ah. I see. And you object to him going to live with your mother, I see?" Mr. Hidaka took out his glasses and looked down at the papers in front of him. He looked up at her, expecting an answer. She nodded. "Is there any particular reason why?"

"Well, again, if you've looked at my case file, you'll notice that my mother didn't generally get along with me, either. When my parents got divorced, my mother only wanted my younger sister, Serenity. She gave my Dad full custody of me and Joey, and didn't ever really attempt to see us. She was extremely unhappy when I was transferred there through D.S.S. when I was ten. She said that she had wanted to send me to live with another relative. I'm almost positive she has the same feeling with Joey's situation."

"That makes sense." He said, smiling at her and nodding. He put down her case file and sighed, removing his glasses. "Now, Rowenna, do you realize how odd of a case this is?"

Startled that he was using her first name, she nodded. "Yes, sir. I do."

"Do you understand what your chances are of gaining custody of Joseph?"

"Yes, sir. I do."

"And do you understand what this is going to do to your relationship with your parents, and your reputation with the people in this office?"

"Yes, sir. I do. I'm willing to take that risk."

With a twinkle in his eye, the man in front of her chuckled. "Very good then." He smiled. "Between you and me, I think that you've got this one in the bag, if that interview goes all right."

Relieved, she smiled at him. "Thank you sir."

"Now, Ms. Wheeler, I think you should go sit in the waiting room. Your brother should be done very shortly."

Understanding when she was dismissed, Rowenna stood and walked out into the waiting room, where Joey was waiting for her, sitting in one of the chairs. He looked horror struck. The secretary was sending Rowenna death glares, but, choosing to ignore them, Rowenna motioned for him to stand up. "Let's go." She said, sighing. Joey nodded, standing, and exiting the building with her.

)(Yeah, 'nother chapter of this senseless dribble. No memories, in this one. XD I thought I'd give you a break. A few more chapters of this should do it, and then you'll get to find out if Joey gets to go live with Rowenna or not!

YFFSM,

Pengwinn)( 


	5. The Phone Call

**-------**

_"Joey?" She breathed into the receiver. "Goddess, Joey, please pick up. It's Ro." She prayed to the God that her father was passed out drunk somewhere. She prayed that Joey was still awake. It was three in the morning, after all._

_The soft voice that followed made her heart leap. Thank whatever diety was up there. "What's up, Ro?" He hissed._

_"Dock. Meet me at the dock. Please." She whispered._

_"Yeah. I'll be there in ten."_

_Why she felt the need to call her twelve year old brother, she didn't know. Maybe she needed someone to keep her from doing something stupid. Maybe she needed someone to just talk to. Maybe she needed someone to tell her it wasn't fault. But was she going to tell Joey, anyway? She wasn't going to put that on him._

_Rowenna walked away from the phone booth towards the dock that she and Joey had always gone to before things got bad. The dock she and Joey and Serenity had gone to before her parents divorced, the dock she met Joey at to clean up his wounds, and the dock that she felt was really her home. She sat down on the edge of the wooden planks, her feet not touching the water due to her short height, and sighed. For a moment she laughed, thinking that Joey would probably get water up to his knees if he was sitting beside her, as he was much taller than her now. He had gotten the height from their father's side. She hadn't. Smiling, she even laughed out loud a little before she realized how forced, cracky, and strained it sounded._

_The sound of his footsteps coming up quickly behind her brought her back to reality. She hadn't thought that he would run, but realizing how important she'd made it sound, it was stupid of her not to expect him to hurry. He sat down next to her, huffing. "What's up, Ro?" He asked._

_She sighed, her breath coming in shakily. She looked down at the water, as if that would come up with an easy way to explain it, and saw the in fact, the water did reach up to the twelve year old's knees. She smirked. "I figured."_

_"What?"_

_"Nothin', you're just gettin' tall." Rowenna sighed._

_"Okay, you're slippin back inta your Boston accent. What's up?" Damn it, he knew her well. "Ya only ever do that when yer upset."_

_She sighed. "I..." How was she supposed to explain this to him? She knew Joey. He'd go kick the crap out of their uncle. Rather, he'd try to. Uncle Ed was a big, big man. Joey was a scrawny, tall, twelve year old, who had just barely reached puberty. He pretended to be a tough guy, but the truth was he still couldn't even handle their father. And James Wheeler was smaller, signifigantly, than Edward._

_"What is it, Ro? Sumthin happen at Uncle Ed's?"_

_"Yeah..." She sighed, her voice shaking. Her hands were shaking, too. "He was really drunk...and..."_

_Joey's chest puffed out, and his voice filled with anger. If this wasn't such a serious conversation, Rowenna would have laughed at him for attempting to look all big and strong. "What did he do?" He growled._

_"He.."_

_"Did he lay a hand on ya?"_

_"You could say that." She muttered. It took her a minute to understand that she probably wasn't going to be able to tell him flat out. It had happened only hours before hand, and she had been so drunk from her escapades with the gang that she wasn't even sure it had really happened. No, scratch that. She was positive it had happened. It was just...would anyone believe her? Even Joey? Would he honestly believe that she, who was in a gang, and was so...wouldn't bring that type of thing on, deserve it, even?_

_"Was he like Dad?"_

_"No."_

_"Did he..."_

_She looked at him, and instantly understood what he meant. He knew. She nodded, slowly, swallowing loudly. "I tried to stop him...but he's big...he's..."_

_"I'm gonna kill 'im." Joey growled. "I'm gonna cut out his throat. I'm gonna-"_

_"Joey, please, don't." She begged, grabbing his arm. "Don't tell anyone, please don't-"_

_"Don't tell anyone! Ro! That disgustin'-"_

_"I know what he did, Joey!" She sobbed. "But I don't want to go through all that. I can't do it, I just can't."_

_He sighed. "Aiight." He shrugged. "Ya ain't goin' back there, are ya?"_

_"No. I grabbed everything...I'm never going back there." She showed her backpack to him, stuffed with the four outfits she owned, a few books, and her weaopns from the gang. Those were hidden in the bottom of the bag, far away from his eyes. Joey had yet to know that she was in the gang, and she wasn't about to let him see her two knives and her handful of shurkien._

_"Where ya gonna go?"_

_"I'll find somewhere."_

_"Where ya gonna go until then?"_

_"I'm gonna stay in my van."_

_"Come back home, Ro. Dad'll let-"_

_"No. I can't stay there."_

_"But Ro, I-"_

_"No, Joey. I can't." She sighed and took a deep breath. "I can't live there. Dad won't let me. He won't." She looked at his protesting eyes. "I'm gonna keep going ta school." The accent slipping back into her speech was bothering her. She hadn't been in Boston in years. "I don't want to go back there. I'll keep going to school, and I'll visit you at least once a week, okay?"_

_"More than that. Twice. Tuesdays and Thursdays, meet me here at midnight."_

_"You got it." She smiled at him. "We'll go out and get food or something. And I'll buy a cellphone, so you can call me whenever you need me."_

_"How ya gonna pay for that?"_

_"I'll get a job."_

_"How ya gonna do that?" He asked. "You go ta school, and everythin'..."_

_"Joe, I think I can handle it." She chuckled. "C'mon, I need to get you home." She stood up, helping him up as she did. He was so much taller than her now that she reached just under his chin._

_"Are ya gonna be okay, Ro?" Joey asked. He looked seriously concerned._

_"Yeah." She nodded. "I'm gonna be okay. It's gonna take me a while. But I'll be okay." He pulled her into a strong hug, gripping her tightly._

_"I love ya."_

_She smiled. "Love you too Joey."_

**-------**

Rowenna woke up with a start. She wiped the tears away from her eyes and looked at the clock. 9 a.m. Well, she'd gotten three hours of sleep this time before she'd had a nightmare that was some sort of repressed memory.

That night had been one of sheer hell for her. She'd gotten past it, though. And she had been living on the streets for a year after that until she had been scouted at her highschool's talent show. The scout had raved about her talent, and when he found out that she had been interested in studying music in the first place, asked her how old she was. When she had told him she was only a junior in highschool, he demanded that she go anyway. She took her GED, got into the college, and had lived in England for a year. Now she was back. And trying to get custody of her younger brother.

It had been almost three weeks since they'd gone to the DSS office. When she'd called the morning before last, they assured her that it sometimes took months to get something through the system, and that they'd let her know as soon as possible. She had promised Joey she would get him out as soon as possible, but nothing was happening. Nothing. They were going to let Joey stay there, and...

Snapped out of her trance, she looked at the phone, which had been rining for a few moments now. "Good lord, you're going crazy." She snickered and ran over to pick up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Rowenna. It's Char."

"Hey Char." Charlene was one of her friends from her new college. They had hit it off right away. Sighing to hear a familiar voice after such a nightmare. "What's up?"

"Not much. Just waiting around for a phone call." Rowenna had yet to tell Charlene that she had any family. Not because she was ashamed of them or anything, but because it had just never come up in conversation. She didn't feel like explaining why she needed custody of Joey, either. She loved having Charlene as a friend, and she didn't want to scare her away. She figured explaining to someone that your father is a drunken abusive bastard who beats the crap out of your little brother on a nightly basis, and you haven't lived with a decent family member since before your parents were divorced was a bit of a way to scare them off.

"Oh. What for?"

"Oh, I'm just waiting for something important."

"Okay." Charlene smiled, leaving it at that. "Do you want to-"

There was a beep, and Rowenna's heart leaped. "Can you hold on a second? I have a beep."

"Yeah."

Rowenna clicked over, breathing heavily. "Hello?" She asked eagerly.

"Hello, Ms. Wheeler?"

"Yes?"

"This is Mr. Hidaka, from the Department of Social Services."

"Hello, Mr. Hidaka." Rowenna greeted. "How may I help you?"

"We'd like you to bring your brother by the offices today. We've reviewed the case, and we have an answer to your request to gain guardianship." Mr. Hidaka's voice was neutral. Not warming, but not upsetting, either. Rowenna had a feeling he was hiding the answer from her for some reason to make sure she wasn't immediately disappointed from his phone call.

"When would you like me to come by?"

"As soon as possible."

"Yes, sir."

"I'll see you when you get here. Please come before noon."

"Yes, sir."

"Good day, Ms. Wheeler."

"Good bye, sir." The line went dead, and Rowenna switched back over to Charlene.

"Char? I have to go. Can I call you when I get home?"

"Yeah. What time will that be?"

"I don't know. Sometime after 12. What did you want to do?"

"There was this talent show thing downtown, and I was wondering if you wanted to preform with me there as a gig thing. We'll get some money for it, and you were talking about how you were short on cash."

"All right. I'll call you when I get home."

"Bai, then."

"Bai."

With that, Rowenna quickly dressed the most appropriately she could manage and grabbed her keys, running out the door, dialing Joey's cellphone number as she got into the car. It rang over and over and over again, and she was afraid that he wouldn't pick up, until his voice drifted into her ear. "Christ, Ro, do you realize what time it is? Mr. Oko almost took away my phone before I told him it was related to a family issue."

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were in school. I've lost track of the days. Listen, Joey,they made a decision. They want us to go to the office now."

"Right now?"

"Right now. Can you get dismissed from school?"

"Yeah, I'll explain the situation to Mr. Oko and he'll let me go."

"All right, I'm on my way now. Meet me outside."

)(Heh heh...way to go for a cliffhanger, ne? Yeah. I'm almost done with this, I figured that this was a good enough place to go for it. Well, review if you like it, review if you don't, don't review, whatever. I hope you enjoy. XD

YFFSM,

Pengwinn)(


	6. Welcome Home?

"Night, Ron." She said, grabbing her keys out of her purse and walking towards the exit. The short chubby chef just nodded her out, smiling and saying something about cute kids. She laughed, walking across the parking lot and getting into her car, realizing how insanely tired she was once she actually sat down in the front seat. She'd just gone to school for the first half of the day, until five, and then went to work until eleven. The day had been long, tiring, and full of stress. All she wanted to do was go home and sleep. 

Of course, that wouldn't be so easy. She'd have to go home, take care of the laundry, do the dishes, and entertain Christian for some period of time before he'd even think about letting her go to bed. He always complained about how she was never around, working so much. But since Christian didn't have a job, and Gen was out of work for the time being, she was supporting them all with her waitressing job at a little pub downtown, and they needed all the money she could make.

Christian was her boyfriend, for almost six months now. He was a tall, slender, dark haired and dark eyed Italian boy, who had been one of her first friends in England. They'd met in her music theory class, he a more cocky sophomore, and she a bumbling underaged freshman. Christian was four years older than her, but had apparently found something he wanted in the sixteen year old. Christian had asked her out after a week of the music theory class, with a corny pick up line and an offer for a cup of coffee. Shortly after that, she had met Gen. Gen was a freshman too, one who was in all of Rowenna's classes and had offered to help show her around the school. She was taller than Rowenna, but not by much, and had black hair, and slimming features. Rowenna and Gen got along so well, it was almost scary.

Two months later, the three had decided to stop living in their individual flats, and move in together. But not a month after they had actually moved in with each other, Christian got fired from his job, and a month later Gen followed his lead. From then on, it had been Rowenna who was paying all the bills.

She pulled into their garage, sighing and turning off the car wearily. The lights were still on, she noticed, as she looked up at the window of Gen's bedroom. So someone was still awake.

Rowenna got out of the car, walking up the stairwell to the apartment on the third floor, heaving her school bag behind her. She still had homework to do, too, she remembered. After the dishes and the laundry, she thought, almost crying at the thought. She opened the door, tossing her bag on the floor with her keys and shoes, and flicked on the light switch. The doorway to Gen's room was open wide, and she stood there, frozen in shock.

Moaning. There was moaning. And there, in front of her eyes, was her boyfriend, having sex with her best friend. Apparently, the clamor of the door swinging shut behind her made the two realize that she'd come home, because they both looked up, shocked. She grabbed her keys and her bag, and pulled her shoes back on slowly, turning around and facing the door as she heard the scurried rush as the two most important people in her life tried to disentangle themselves from one another. "Ro, wait-" Gen shouted at the slowly closing door.

She walked back down the stairs, tears welling in her eyes and blurring in her vision. There was a funny feeling in her stomach, and her throat was finding it hard to stay open and allow her to breath, but she could walk down the stairs, if she went slow. By the time she reached the final landing, Gen and Christian were both fully clothed and were running down the stairs after her. She walked through the front door of the apartment building, both of them hot on her heels. They finally caught up with her once she got to the car, opening the door and putting in her bag, getting ready to get in herself.

"Rowenna, hold on baby-"

"Don't call me that." She muttered, shutting the door. Damn it. The window was still rolled down. She searched through her pockets for the keys, avoiding looking at either of them.

"Rowenna, you don't understand, we were going to talk to you about it, but-"

"But what, Gen?" She snapped, as she pulled the elusive keys out of her coat pocket. "You didn't feel like telling me you were using me?"

"Sweetheart, we weren't using you..." Christian tried to argue, but she shoved the keys into the ignition and revved the engine.

"You were fucking my best friend while I was working my ass off to make sure you both had a place to live. I think that counts as using me. I'm not that naiive, Christian."

And with that, she rolled up the window, backed out of the driveway, and drove away from them both.

--------

She had spent that night sleeping in her car by a beach, and made a resolution that she was going to go home, back to Japan. She set up an exchange of schools with her college, finding a college close by Domino City that she could attend, and packed up all her stuff into her van. Christian and Gen had tried to tell her to stay, that they had just wanted to try it out...they even claimed to have wanted to try a threesome. But being around them both, either at the same time or by themselves, made her nauseous and so angry she thought she would kill them. She wanted to go home, and that's where she going to go.

Of course, when she had gotten home, no one had given her that warm of a reception. Her mother had hucked a sake bottle at her head, and her father had only 'let' her stay the night once she got back to Japan because he passed out on the floor in front of her before he could take a swing at her. The only one who seemed genuinely happy that she was back was Joey, and even so, he seemed to have grown slightly more distant over the years. That was to be expected, she had been a continent or so away. His relationship with her still being strong as it was, was amazing, all things considering. Hell, she was even amazed he was up for the idea of living with her, now that she'd gotten her own place secured.

But he was. And now they were going to find out if he was going to be there legally, or illegally.

As Rowenna pulled up in front of the school, she saw her brother's slouched figure, leaning against the building. She beeped once and he ran over to the van, jumping in as fast as he could manage and throwing on his seat-belt. "Let's do this."

"Okay." She replied, smiling weakly at him. She wasn't sure this was going to turn out the way she wanted it to, but she sure as hell wasn't letting him stay with that bastard of a father.

The car ride to the DSS office was pretty much silent, the two siblings sitting in their own private thoughts, worries, and anxiousness. Once the car pulled to a stop in the parking lot, and she put it into park, Joey looked up at her. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Ro. I promise."

"I hope so." Rowenna laughed.

"Hey Ro?"

"Yeah?"

"You never told me...why did you come back?"

At this, she sighed. She had just spent the past twenty minutes remembering exactly why she'd come back. But she laughed, deciding she didn't want her little brother to try and save up money to fly to England so he could beat the living daylights out of a scrawny Italian and wanna-be emo girl. "Because I missed being home." She replied.

"All right. Let's go."

)(Okeydokey, one more chapter to go! Sorry it took me so long to update. ; I try my best. I got DSL now, and I'm out of school, so I should be getting done with it fairly soon, I promise!

Joey: It'll go faster if she gets reviews, though.

Pengwinn: Oh so very subtle. :rolls eyes.: Whatever, thank you for reading!

YFFSM,

Pengwinn)(


	7. Insecurities and Maturity

"Ms. Wheeler? If you'll just sit down over here, we'd like to speak with Joseph alone for a little while." Mr. Hidaka motioned to a seat in the waiting room. Rowenna nodded and sat down, watching Joey follow the man and his secretary into the room across the hall from her. She sighed, laughing at herself slightly. "I remember what that room is like." She whispered. 

---------

_"Exactly how long have you lived on the streets?" The cold voiced man demanded. She looked up at him, biting her lip anxiously._

_"Uhm...on and off since I was twelve." She murmured._

_"And how old are you now?"_

_"Fifteen. I'll be sixteen in December."_

_"That's quite a long time to be living on the streets, Ms. Wheeler. Any particular reason for it? It seems that you have two perfectly capable parents."_

_At this, she had to keep herself from laughing in the man's face. She hardly thought that this man, Mr. Niigata, would believe how horrible her parents truly were. No one did. It was always her truth against her parents', and her parents always won, because who would believe a drama-queen teenager who was in a gang, and was sleeping around. She remembered sitting in her mother's living room, listening to her mother and her aunt discussing how much diseases she must have had by then. She didn't feel like chirping in that she was a virgin; somehow it didn't seem like any of their business anymore. "There were some problems at home after my parents divorced." She forced herself to say. Problems didn't even begin to cover the wide rang of abuses she and her siblings had suffered._

_"What kind of problems? I hardly see a reason for you to toss yourself onto the cold streets. Especially since you deemed it perfectly acceptable to leave your younger siblings in their care?"_

_Mr. Niigata obviously never had abusive parents, or siblings to protect. His cold brown eyes bore into her own soft ones, and she could read every thought on his face. He thought the same thing everyone else did; she was a skank, that's why she was on the streets. She wasn't there because her father beat her and her mother was a drunk. She wasn't there because she'd lived with an Uncle who'd sexually abused her. She wasn't there because she had a horrible family life she couldn't escape no matter how far she went back into the extended family; she was there because she wanted to be, and she was having the time of her life, purposely ruining everyone else's._

_And now, she was asking to leave the country, without parental consent, to get away from it all. Now, she was begging, on hands and knees, to be able to leave it all behind. And this cold eyed, firm lipped and overweight fifty something year old was going to tell her no. Not for any legitimate reason - he'd say no because she disgusted him. And why wouldn't she? Her track record was terrible. A history of breaking other people's limbs and body parts all throughout her educational career, before she stopped going entirely, the gang life she was trying so hard to escape, all the odds were against her. This man, behind the counter, staring her down with disgust, was against her._

_"I had no way of getting them out of there." She mumbled._

_"And now you would like to leave the country. Leave them behind?"_

_She almost growled at him. How could he ask her a question like that? Immediately all of her old fears snapped back into her mind. How could she leave Joey like this? With her father, no one to help him after the beatings, no one to help Serenity from Mom, no one to keep either of them safe - just walk out on them both? How could she? How could she have ever convinced herself of that?_

_"Mr. Niigata, they need you in the main office." A softer voice interrupted, entering the room that he had been interrogating Rowenna in. "I was told to take over the case review."_

_Mr. Niigata looked almost disappointed. "All right, well, this one's an..." He coughed. "Interesting one. Do review it carefully, Mr. Hidaka."_

_Mr. Hidaka smiled at her warmly and reassuringly as he sat down across from her. Mr. Niigata left the room, and once the door was shut behind him Mr. Hidaka opened her case file again. "Ms. Wheeler, would it be all right if I called you Rowenna?"_

_"Uhm...sure?" She replied, somewhat startled. "That's fine.."_

_He laughed. "Not used to someone being nice, are you?" Mr. Hidaka asked._

_"Well...uhm...not really. They've all been rather..."_

_"Judgemental? I know. It's a sad thing in this department that happens after many years." He sighed. "I come from an abusive family situation as well. It drove me to do the work I do now. I understand where you're coming from Rowenna. How long has it been since you've lived with a parent?"_

_"Quite a while, Mr. Hidaka. I left my mother's when I was eleven and lived with my Uncle and Aunt...but when I was twelve I moved out onto the streets."_

_"And the reasons?"_

_"I'd rather not discuss them...we'll just say it was a bad place for me to be." She said, shuddering._

_"I see." He nodded, leaving it at that, and she wanted to thank him for that, but deemed it irresposible. "And your younger siblings? Is it appropriate for them?"_

_"No." She snapped. He laughed._

_"I meant no attack, Rowenna. I was just asking."_

_"I'm sorry." She murmured, blushing. "I just can't get them out of there. Somehow I don't think a gangster street rat fifteen year old would be able to win custody of two siblings."_

_"No, you're right about that." Mr. Hidaka laughed. "And you want to go to England to clean up your act?"_

_"I was offered a full-expenses paid scholastic program at a music school in London." She replied. "The scout saw me at a talent show, and immediately wanted me to go to the school. He thought my talent was wasting away in the highschool."_

_"As it appears, you didn't go to school much, did you Rowenna?" Mr. Hidaka asked, looking at the file with his glasses pulled down._

_"I worked a lot, so when I slept, it was in short spurts and I frequently woke up late. I didn't have the spare time to stay after school and make up the time I missed, so I stopped going."_

_"And they let you participate in the talent show anyways?"_

_"My music teacher wanted me in it so badly she bent a lot of rules for my sake."_

_"Are you intending on returning to help your siblings once you've got your act together?"_

_"Yes." She said, quite firmly._

_"And you've taken your GED and passed with flying colors, I see."_

_"Yes."_

_"In all honesty, besides feeling no pity for you whatsoever, Rowenna, I see no reason why this office can not let you leave the country. I'm going to put through a motion to allow it."_

_Rowenna, deciding to screw composure, leapt out of her chair and gave the man sitting across from her one of the biggest hugs she'd ever given anyone in her life._

-----

Sitting in that chair, she realized how much she owed the man that was in the room with her little brother right now. Mr. Hidaka, although she hadn't recognized him the first time they'd come to this office, had given her a chance. He'd given her a chance to start over, from the beginning, and save herself. Along with saving herself came saving her siblings, and he was helping her do that right now.

She'd been sitting in the waiting room, for God knows how long, when the door opened across the hall. Joey looked angry, disgruntled, but somehow, relieved, all at the same time. He looked at her, and motioned for her to join him in the room. She sighed, preparing herself for whatever was about to happen but concealing her shaking hands in the pockets of her jeans, and entering the room behind him.

Mr. Hidaka was sitting across the table with the snappy secretary, who was looking at Rowenna with a softer tone in her eyes. Mr. Hidaka was smiling, and motioned for them both to sit. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you." Rowenna said, trying to keep her voice from shaking. Joey sat down next to her, reaching under the table, away from the prying eyes of the D.S.S. workers, and grabbed one of her hands from her pockets, squeezing it as if to say 'It'll be okay.'

"Ms. Wheeler, we've reviewed the case thoroughly, and after both interviews with Joseph we've come to a decision." He sighed, taking off his glasses and putting them down on the closed folder in front of him. "I must say, Ms. Wheeler, you've been through this system more ways than anyone I've ever seen. You've been part of it, being passed around yourself, and you've been here to demand custody. You have more nerve than anyone else I've ever met. You must've known coming into this situation how difficult it would be to win."

"Yes, sir." She replied, trying to keep her gaze steady on his own.

"You request custody of your younger brother because you do not deem it acceptable for him to live with either of your parents. Is that correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you can not find any reason to remove your sister from your mother's custody?"

"No, sir. My mother has always loved my sister to the fullest extent. My brother and I are different stories entirely."

"Novels, you might say." Mr. Hidaka replied. He leaned back in his chair, and sighed. The secretary pushed a form across the table at her, and Rowenna looked at Mr. Hidaka, confused. "We'll need you to sign these forms, Ms. Wheeler."

"Forms..?"

"They'll grant you full custody of Joseph without parental consent."

For the second time in her life, Rowenna leapt across the table and hugged Mr. Hidaka with enough force to break his ribcage.

**FIN**

)(Well, there it is. That's the end of it. Hoo-rah. Review and all that jazz.

YFFSM,

Pengwinn)(


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